Pharmaceutical companies have ponied up $72 million to try to defeat a California ballot initiative that would extend drug discounts to more uninsured people and allow consumers to sue drug makers whose products are sold at "unconscionable" prices." Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Johnson & Johnson have each given almost $10 million to the campaign. By comparison, the industry contributed just $9.8 million to affect the 2004 federal elections.
- read this report from USA Today for more